Things Every Aspiring Writer Needs to Accept
This guest post is contributed by Barbra Jolie, who enjoys writing about
online college classes
and other academic trends. Barbara offers a dose of reality for those who want to write for a living.
Every year, thousands of students graduate with degrees in everything from English to Journalism in hopes of becoming professional writers. They might have different styles and pursuits, but they all share a love of the written word and a desire to write for a living. However, compared to those pursuing more traditional jobs as lawyers or doctors, writers must understand the unpredictability of the road that lies ahead of them.As someone who regularly writes, I have definitely dealt with the ups and downs that come with this career. That being said, below are just a few things I have learned that have helped me maintain my sanity and perspective. They just might help others as well. The Job Market is Less than PredictableProbably the most important thing for career writers to remember is that their professional world is unstable. Sure, you have the rare success stories where someone lands a great job right out of the gate, but for the majority of us, this will not be the case. You will get replaced, fired, or whatever. At some point, upper management will cut the budget and leave you jobless.Additionally, fulfilling freelance jobs can be even tougher to find, making the search all the more difficult. However, I'm living proof it's not impossible, you just have to have the drive to make it work. Take on an extra job. Pursue opportunities outside your comfort zone. Do what you must to pursue your dream.Writer's Block Will HappenYou also must come to terms with the notion of writer's block. Believe me; it happens to the best of us. From the seasoned reporter to the newly graduated English major, they will all struggle with forming that perfect sentence, finding that enticing angle. So don't beat yourself up about it. It's usually just your brain's way of saying to decompress. Sure, there will be times you won't be able to do that—the deadline will be looming and you will have nothing but infinite pages of white space in front of you, but have no fear, this brings me to my next point.You Won't Like Everything You Write……And that's OK. In fact, others won't like everything you write either—it's just another harsh truth you have to accept. Ideally, everything that poured out of you would be gold, but that's not realistic. A number of factors can affect the quality of your content, and you have to be OK with that. Say you get sick days before a deadline, odds are that piece won't be your best, but something is better than nothing, so suck it up and get it done. Quit agonizing over every line and give yourself a break. Nobody's perfect, and you need to embrace that.This is in no way an endorsement to be mediocre, nor are these points meant to deter you. I simply aim to give you real insight into the path you've chosen. The life of a writer can be a rewarding adventure, you just have to learn how to enjoy the ride.
Barbara is always contemplating and considering issues concerning education and modern society. You can reach her at barbara.jolie876@gmail.com.
Every year, thousands of students graduate with degrees in everything from English to Journalism in hopes of becoming professional writers. They might have different styles and pursuits, but they all share a love of the written word and a desire to write for a living. However, compared to those pursuing more traditional jobs as lawyers or doctors, writers must understand the unpredictability of the road that lies ahead of them.As someone who regularly writes, I have definitely dealt with the ups and downs that come with this career. That being said, below are just a few things I have learned that have helped me maintain my sanity and perspective. They just might help others as well. The Job Market is Less than PredictableProbably the most important thing for career writers to remember is that their professional world is unstable. Sure, you have the rare success stories where someone lands a great job right out of the gate, but for the majority of us, this will not be the case. You will get replaced, fired, or whatever. At some point, upper management will cut the budget and leave you jobless.Additionally, fulfilling freelance jobs can be even tougher to find, making the search all the more difficult. However, I'm living proof it's not impossible, you just have to have the drive to make it work. Take on an extra job. Pursue opportunities outside your comfort zone. Do what you must to pursue your dream.Writer's Block Will HappenYou also must come to terms with the notion of writer's block. Believe me; it happens to the best of us. From the seasoned reporter to the newly graduated English major, they will all struggle with forming that perfect sentence, finding that enticing angle. So don't beat yourself up about it. It's usually just your brain's way of saying to decompress. Sure, there will be times you won't be able to do that—the deadline will be looming and you will have nothing but infinite pages of white space in front of you, but have no fear, this brings me to my next point.You Won't Like Everything You Write……And that's OK. In fact, others won't like everything you write either—it's just another harsh truth you have to accept. Ideally, everything that poured out of you would be gold, but that's not realistic. A number of factors can affect the quality of your content, and you have to be OK with that. Say you get sick days before a deadline, odds are that piece won't be your best, but something is better than nothing, so suck it up and get it done. Quit agonizing over every line and give yourself a break. Nobody's perfect, and you need to embrace that.This is in no way an endorsement to be mediocre, nor are these points meant to deter you. I simply aim to give you real insight into the path you've chosen. The life of a writer can be a rewarding adventure, you just have to learn how to enjoy the ride.
Barbara is always contemplating and considering issues concerning education and modern society. You can reach her at barbara.jolie876@gmail.com.
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